Foldable display stand



Oct. 10, 1933. H. H. BIXBY FOLDABLE DISPLAY STAND 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet I Filed March 18 9 0W 2- E 1 WM 2- 5) r. 1 wk i Mi 2 {a Z E 71)... 1 z 4. r: d ue \e a 0 W A f E WW 4/0 w a INVEN TOR HERBERT H-B/XBY TTORNEYS.

Oct. 10, 1933- H. H. BIXBY FOLDABLE DISPLAY STAND Filed March 18 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR HERBERT HB/XBY 1' &4!

A TTORNEYS.

i atented Get. 10, l33

T T Fi m FQLDABLEDISPLAY STAND 'Herbert H. Bixby, Sunderlancl, Mass. Application March 18, 1932. Serial No. 599,729

2 Claims. 211-142) This invention relates to improvements in foldable display stands, such for example, as may be used at roadside stations for the display of berries, fruit, vegetables and the like and for other purposes.

The general object of the invention is to pro vide a device for the purpose described which is constructed to enable it to be readily collapsed into compact form so that it is readily portable and may be conveniently stored without occupying too much'space.

Other objects will appear as the detailed des'cription proceeds and will be pointed out in the appended claims. 7 The invention will be disclosed with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which r Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a display device embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 isa side elevational view thereof taken from the left hand end of Fig. 1; 1 Fig. 3 is a sectional elevational view thereo showing the'device in folded or collapsed position;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view showing the device in collapsed position; v s

Fig. 5 is a front elevational view of the device taken from the left hand end of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary view showing a detail.

Referring to these drawings; the device includes a pair of laterally spaced back legs 10,

which are suitably interconnected and tied together into a rigid back frame, as for example by cross bars 11, secured at their ends, one to each leg 10. Each leg 10, as herein shown, is

made up of two parallel and vertically disposed members 12 and 13 which are spaced to form a vertical slot 14. The members 12 and 13 are rigidly held together in spaced relation in any suitable way. At their lower ends a cross bar 15 serves this purpose and also closes the lower extremity of slot 1 1. Near the upper ends of the slot is a block 15 which spaces the members 12 and 13 and these members are tied together at their upper ends by a shelf to be later described. The device also includes a pair of laterally spaced front legs 16, each connected to the adjacent back leg 10 by an upper link 17 and by a lower link 18. Each upper link 17 is connected near its ends by fixed pivots 19 to the upper ends of its legs 10 and 16. Each lower link 18 is connected at one end to its leg 10 by a fixed pivot 20 and at its other end carries a pivot pin 21 which is slidable within the confines of a slot 22 formed in its leg 16. The two legs 16 are suitably interconnected, as by a cross bar 23.

,embordered by upstanding flange or rim 27, if

The arrangement is such that the front frame, comprising the two interconnected legs 16, may

be moved'from the upwardly convergent relation, shown in Fig. 2, into the parallel and contiguous relation, shown in Figs. 3 and 4,the pivot 21 sliding upwardly in its slot 22 to enable the result.

The foldably connected frames, above described, are utilized to support shelves or trays adapted to support or contain the articles to be displayed. A novel feature consists in the arrangement of the top shelf. This is made in two sections 25 and 26, the former being rigidly-secured at its ends to the upper ends of the composite back legs 10 and the latter'being similarly secured to the upper edges of the two upper links 17. These sections 25 and 26 are preferably slightly spaced, as shown in Fig. 2, and their adjacent edges oppositely bevelled. This allows the front section 26-to swing clear of the back section 25 as the parts are movedfrom the positions shown in Fig. 2 to those shown in Fig. 3. The top, formed by sections 25 and 26, may bedesired.

In addition to the top shelf, just described, va plurality'of other shelves or trays may be supported between the pairs of legs 1)16 in various ways. I have illustrated herein two trays 28 and 29, suitable for containing fruits and vegetables. 85. Each comprises an open rectangular frame 30, partially closed at its lower end by a series of slats 31, forming a suitable bottom for the purpose described. The several cross bars 11 may be interconnected by vertical slats 32 to form an 9.0., open-Work back wall for cooperation with the trays, as will appear. Each tray, near its rear edge, has fixed thereto a pair of aligned screw eyes 33, through which a rod 34 may be freely passed. Such rod serves as a pivot for the back 95. part of its tray and it may be supported in various positions of vertical adjustment in notches 35 formed in the members 12 of legs' 10. Such notches open into the vertical slots 14, which permit the hinge bars 3 1 to be moved from one pair of notches 35 to another. The front edge of each tray may be supported in any suitable way. For example, the front part of the lower tray 29 may restupon the cross bar 23 and the front part of the upper tray 28 may rest upon a cross bar 36, which in turn may be supported near its ends by any one of a plurality of pairs of lugs 37, secured one member of each pair to each leg 16.

As will be clear from Fig. 2, the shelves 28 and 29 may be supported in horizontal position or in backwardly tilted or forwardly tilted positions, all according to the needs or desires of the user and depending on the goods to be displayed. When either tray 28 or 29 is supported in back- Wardly tilted position, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the slatted back wall 32 cooperates with it to form a bin to retain the larger vegetables, which might roll off the tray if nothing more than the low upstanding rim were provided to prevent. When the trays are tilted forwardly their contents may be more effectively displayed. It will also be clear that the shelves or trays may not only be supported in the several ways described but also at different levels to meet the needs of the user.

With the parts of the device positioned as in Fig. 2, the device is collapsed into the form, shown in Figs. 3 and i, in the following manner. The hinge rod 34 of the lower tray 29 is removed from its supporting notches 35 and dropped down-in the vertical slot 14 to the base thereof. Then the front end cf tray 29 is swung upwardly about rod 34 as a pivot, into vertical position. Tray 29 then lies flatly against the slats 32 in parallel and contiguous relation. Then the front supporting rod 36 for tray 28 is withdrawn in an axial direction and this tray is allowed to swing downwardly about its rod, 34 as a pivot. Tray 28 will swing intothe vertical position shown in Fig. 3, its outer face paralleling the member 12. The supporting frame may then be collapsed by first pushing upwardly on legs 15 and then inwardly, the inward movement causing pivots 21 to move up in their slots 22 and legs 16 to move into parallel and contiguous relation with members 12;

ing the upper ends of the front and rear legs, each such link being pivoted at one end to a front leg and at the other end to a rear leg, means interconnecting the front and rear legs below the level of said links to normally maintain them in upwardly converging relation and enabling them to be folded into parallel and contiguous relation when desired, and a second top section bridging across between said links and fixed at its ends to the upper edges of the links, said links when the legs are in normal position supporting said second top section in line with the first, whereby a widetop is provided, and said links when the legs are folded into contiguous relation, moving the second top section above the first into angular relation therewith so that no part of the second top section projects beyond the front or the rear legs. a V

'2. In a device of the class described, a foldable supporting frarne'including interconnected front legs and interconnected back legs, the front and backlegs being foldably interconnected to enable them to be moved from a collapsed position in which they lie in parallel and contiguous relation to a supporting position in which they lie in upwardly converging relation, shelves supported by and between the pairs of interconnected legs, a pivot rod carried by each shelf near its rear edge, said rear legs having longitudinal slots one in each in which slots said rod is movable and a series of longitudinally spaced notches opening into each slot in any of which notches said rods may be supported, and means on-the front legs for supporting each shelf near its front edge.

HERBERT I-I. BIXBY. 

